Friends die for each others Don't they?
by MQDK
Summary: Castiel still haven't really figured out what it means to be friends. Or maybe he have just learned from the wrong, self sacrifising brothers.


**A/N: I don't really know if this work, it's my first time writing Crowley, so... more will come if you guys like it. As usuall, I run on props and love. Please, R&R :-)**

**Un-betaed.**

Dean and Sam sat on each of the two beds in the motel room, minds made up. Both looked expectantly at the angel whom didn't agree. Usually, that would had been enough for both brothers, to let the case go, but Castiel's hunches had been off lately. Actually, he had probably been more wrong, than right the last month or so, and the brothers were starting to have their doubts about Cass' angel abilities. Castiel hadn't said so himself, but it was clear that the angel wasn't his usual, powerful, self. He had been cut off from the Heavens for too long, and his batteries were starting to drain. Both mentally and physically.  
He sighed in defeat, knowing it was a lost cause. He would go with them in a feeble attempt to protect them, but every man in the room knew, that it was only a question of time before Castiel became a liability rather than a help.  
Sam had realised that a long time ago, perhaps before Castiel himself. The only one who didn't want to admit it to himself, was Dean. For some reason or another, the hunter wouldn't talk about it, he didn't want Sam or Cass to talk about it and he didn't want Cass to stay behind on a hunt. Sam had a feeling it might have been guilt for all those times Dean had been harsh towards the angel, `the baby in a trenchcoat´. Or maybe something happened in Purgatory that neither men had told Sam about, something that made Dean more protective of the angel. Who knew, Sam had thought times to himself. Neither his brother or the angel was an open book, to say it the least.  
Dean broke the silence: "Are we good?"  
Castiel looked out the window, away from the brothers, then back at Dean.  
"We're good. I'm coming with you."  
Dean looked at him for a second, then over at Sam with an unreadable expression.  
"Alright. Let's go." He stood up and grabbed the duffled back and the keys, with his younger brother and the fallen angel, behind him.

The hunt had taken them to an abandon warehouse where the nest of vampires had settled. It wasn't your usual type of vampires, this bunch had been hunting in broad daylight, out on the streets and hadn't even cared about being caught. The hunters were few and more scattered after the rumors of the Winchesters being separated and Sam having retired. Bobby's death had also taken hard on the tight knit community of hunters and Garth was still a man not many trusted. He had big, maybe even too big, shoes, to fill.

Castiel had been able to feel the presence of something else in the town of Dickinson, North Dakota. Something big and evil.  
That had been the reason for his earlier resistance to participate in the hunt. Something wasn't right. There was also the fact that Crowley still lurked somewhere in the shadow, with one part of The Word, and he was being unusually quiet.  
Castiel had suggested to go find the King of Hell.  
The brothers had disagreed.  
"Why look a gifted horse in the mouth?" Dean had asked, and Castiel had come up with several reasons to do that, but failed to see the relevance of horses in this situation. Dean had just shook his head and went to the bathroom, effectively ending the conversation.

As the three men quietly entered the warehouse, everything went amok: The vampires were expecting them, and had waited for the team to spread out with a couple of meters between them.  
That was when the first wave hit them.  
Dean and Sam each took out 4 vampires when Cass were only at his second. Heads flew and blood was splattered everywhere, but eventually, the hunters made a dent in the population of the nest. Suddenly, a force stronger than anything Castiel had felt in almost a year, hit the brothers, slamming them up the wall. The rest of the vampires settled down, pulled back and some even starting to giggle at the sight of the two helpless hunters being pinned to the wall by an invincible force.  
Castiel was confused: Why weren't he affected by the force? He quickly assesed the situation, both Dean and Sam were in a lot of pain and mad as crazy, but otherwise unharmed. He felt the power surge comming from infront of them and he stood infront of the pinned humans, trying to sheild them both. He tried desperatly to find the source of the power, but it was impossible. Sigils and spells made the source angel protected, but suddenly, Castiel didn't need his angel senses to identify the source. A smell of strong liquor, expensive perfume and sulfur burned his nose and he gritted his teeths.  
"Show your self, Crowley!" He barked, and sure enough, from the shadows came the black dressed, over the top, former crossroad demon, sauntering like he owed the place. He smiled what might had been a charming smile if you didn't knew any better. The kind of smile a viper wore just before it stroke.  
"Very good, Cassie. Didn't know you still had it in you..."  
The angel could feel the anger burning deep inside of him and he stood straighter, tighting his grip around the shaft of the razor sharp machete Dean had bestowed upon him, telling him to aim high.  
"Let them go." He growled, feeling every fiber in his vessel tensing up.  
"Oh come on, what would be the fun in that?" Crowley said, walking in a semicircle around Castiel, focusing on the humans in his grip.  
"Hello, Boys." He said with a evil little grin and a little wave with only his fingers.  
"Crowley!" Dean barked, but that was all he got to say before Crowley closed his mouth for him. Literally. Deans mouth immediately disappeared like it had never been there, taken the hunter completely by surprise. It didn't stop Dean from making angry noises, though.  
"Now, now, Dean, be nice. Or else I have to do something really unpleasant, and you don't want that, now do you?" Crowleys attention had traveled to Sam, who was fighting every urge he had to not losing it and verbally attack the evil being in front of him. The look Crowley gave Sam, made Dean shut up.  
Crowley looked back at Dean. "See? You do have manners." Eyes still on Dean, the demon turned his attention on the angel.  
"Been training your little attack dogs behind my back, Castiel?" The demon finally turned around, looking at Castiel´s back. The angel had not dignified the king of Hell with his attention, but every senses the angel had was on the Winchesters and the demon currently holding them prisoners.  
Dean, Castiel figured, he would be able to help. As long as Crowley didn't do anything else to the boys...  
"Why are you here, Crowley?" Castiel pulled the demons attention away from the boys behind him and Crowley smiled, coming to a stand in front of the former Soldier of Heaven.  
"Well, my old friend, you still have something that belong to me." His smirk vanished immediately. "I want it back." He was serious now and his temper was starting to wear thin. Castiel knew the powerful demon and his achilles heel.  
"And what is that?" Castiel asked, knowing full well that it was The Word Crowley wanted. "THE BLOODY TABLET, YOU IMBECILE!" He yelled up in Castiels calm face, the vein pumping fast and strong in the vessel's neck.  
Crowley were desperate.  
Castiel looked away, as if the mere sight of Crowley made him a lesser being. It probably did, but the action only fueld the demons temper.  
"I don't know what you are talking about." He said and then looked back with an icy stare. "Release your hold of the Winchesters, and leave now. This is your only warning."  
Crowley did a double take.  
"You are daring to threathning me?" He looked over the angels shoulder at the humans, and then whispered into Castiel´s ear:  
"I know how much our last encounter wore you out. You can't get it up anymore, old man." The taunting in his voice was clear as a bell in Castiels ear and he slowley turned his head, leveled his stare on the shorter being. Then, in a low growel he replied:  
"You of all beings, should know Crowley. Things change." Crowley stood back and looked at him. "Oh I know angelcake. And contrary to you Heavenly pinmonkeys, I have always rolled with the times. Humans come and go, ditto regimes. And your Heavenly Father´s regime has been over for a long time now, and the fat lady is singing her last verse. Now sweetheart, it's up to you. Which side are you on?"  
Castiel didn't like the tone of his voice and looked at him just in time to see him snap both his fingers and hear the unmistakable sound of bones breaking and bodies hitting the floor. He knew instantly that both Sam and Deans necks had been broken and both boys were dead. He instantly drew his blade and stuck it in the stomach of the demon who just looked extremely irritated.  
"Really? you just had to ruin my suit?" Castiel keept his grip on the shaft and started to excersise the demon. Just before Crowley left his vessle, he hissed in to the angels ear: "Remember to save your strength. Only big boys get's it all."  
With that, the angel released his grip on the demon and let him flee the place. iI that exact moment, the vampires were back, and they launched on Castiel like it was the last thing they would do.  
Which it was.  
Though the wounds would had killed a mortal, Castiel wiped the rest of the monsters out with a single blast of his weakening Grace. It was enough and they all dropped dead on the floor, eyes burned out.  
Even though the vampires were more in numbers, it took less of his strengths to wipe them out, then it would had taken to exercise Crowley. Castiel quickly turned around to the Winchesters dead bodys. Both their souls were still present, he could feel them, touch them and even talk to them, had there been time.  
Which there weren't.  
They were already being summoned to each side of the light. Castiel could not let that happen to them, they still had more to give, more to receive and Castiel laid two fingers on each their foreheads, knowing full well that it may be for the last time. It took all he had in him, to bring them back in their bodies and he could quickly feel himself weakening, disappearing, being pulled home. He concentrated even more on the two beings in front of him, on each of their souls. He grabbed them both tight, one last time, and threw them back in their vessels. As he felt both boys draw a sharp breath each, he smiled, for the last time. Then his vessel collapsed, taking him with it in it's fall.  
He didn't feel the pull upwards. No, everything just turned black, quiet and cold and suddenly, Castiel was no more.


End file.
